Fallout: Zero Hour
by Tim Carrier
Summary: Zero Hour tells the stories of two groups fighting for survival on October 23rd 2077, the day of the Great War. A team of Snipers in Anchorage must fight their way to safety, while a group of civilians rush through the chaotic streets of NYC.
1. Chapter 1

October 23rd 2077

08:45am

Clam Gulch outside Anchorage.

_Captain Jacob Chance_

The scope was clouding slightly with each breath but Jacob knew he could make the shot. The target was looking around while working at something beside the train track but he would never spot the camouflaged sniper. Jacob was sure the man was planting an IED, he thought this because anytime a Canadian came near the tracks it wasn't to do some train spotting.

Jacob adjusted for windage and squeezed the trigger. In a split second the man was face down in the snow while his brain bled out of a newly formed hole in his face.

Captain Jacob Chance was getting bored of Alaska, of the cold, of the long patrols and most of all of the Canadian terrorists that kept planting IEDs and taking pot-shots at US troops. It had been almost ten months since the US forces had driven back the Chinese but they where still in a state of high alert. The Canadian resistance had kept up their sabotage operations and the US command responded with a brutality Jacob felt was a mistake. When he joined the army "hearts and minds" had meant something, things had changed, now suspected resistance members where being shot in the street without trial. Jacob couldn't get 100% behind that but he knew it was necessary for the future of his country and unfortunately it's true what they say war never changes, it's always about the strong imposing their will on the weak.

"Good shot." said his spotter, Lieutenant Buck York.

"Thanks I'm getting pretty bored of whacking hosers in the dome though. No sport in it anymore."

Suddenly both men heard a low rumble that grew into a mighty roar that broke the stillness of the Alaska morning.

"What the fuc.." York said as he looked around the landscape for the source of the noise.

Jacob told York to be quiet when he spied the source. He was looking south towards Point Anchor across the water when he saw a long black tube piercing into the white cloud filled sky.

"What the hell is that?" York asked but before Jacob could answer two more tubes reached up into the sky followed by three more. Having seen enough Jacob pulled the radio close and quickly turned it on. Suddenly the radio exploded into noise as hundreds of voices where scrambling over the net. Jacob punched in a frequency and hoped he would get an available operator.

"Control this is Yellow 13, come in control for Yellow 13. Pirority 1." He was speaking as clearly as possible to avoid a misunderstanding but had never been more terrified.

"Go for Control, Yellow 13."

"We have a suspected nuclear missile launch at location Echo, Echo, Delta. Missile in the air. Repeat Code Black we have a Missile in the air."

The radio was silent before the operator returned.

"We know its one of ours."

October 23rd 2077

08:51am

New York City, Good Morning NYC News Room.

_Marty Phelps_

"Ok Will, so then you say 'to play us out we have Dean Domino's latest track.' Ok?"

Marty knew the Will O'Neill didn't get it, Marty knew this because Will was a moron.

"What does that mean 'To play us out'?" Will said with a look of utter confusion.

"It's another way of saying to the end the show." Marty explained.

"Now to play us… It doesn't feel right, nobody says that." Will's confusion was turning to anger. He didn't like Dean Domino, apparently there had been some altercation between the two men over a singer at the Clique Club in New York but that was just a rumour. Truth was they were both a couple of assholes caught up in a pissing contest. A pissing contest that as going to ruin Marty's show.

He was about to try to explain it another way to the petulant Will when he heard a shout from one of the runners called Sam. Seeing Sam made him calm down a little she had long blonde hair that naturally fell into a peek-a-boo, she made pencil skirts look excellent and most important of all was smart. The other quality Marty found endearing was she hadn't slept with Will despite his best efforts. To a man like Will that was a great wound to his pride. The thought always made Marty smile.

The smile faded though as he approached the young woman.

"What's up Sam?"

"This just came in over the wires… It's incredible."

Marty reached for the sheet she was holding.

From: Section 13- ADVANCE WARNING GROUP.

To: All commercial tv and radio stations.

Nuclear warheads have been detected heading for the us mainland stop in accordance with the reddaker plan all commercial tv and radio stations are being commandeered by the us governmenet as of 9am October 23rd 2077 [stop]

This is not a drill find appropriate shelter and do impede military personel from their appointed tasks. [stop]

May god have mercy upon you [stop]

"Jesus…" was all Marty could muster. He was at a loss there had been drills before but never with this notice. Maybe it was another drill… or maybe not. In either case this was something Marty had to deal with.

"FUCK IT! WE'LL DO IT LIVE!" Will's bellow echoed from across the set. It snapped Marty out of his confusion and shock. He saw Sam looking at him her eyes pleading, hoping for him to help. Marty reached out and touched her shoulder.

"It'll be ok. I'll work this out." He said hoping to reassure himself as much as her.

Marty walked over the set and called the crew together.

"No Marty I want to deal with the goddamned line now." Will was in a strop because of his explosion over the line.

"Not now." Marty said but he didn't get to continue.

"YES NOW MARTY, I DO…"

"SIT DOWN AND SHUT THE HOLE IN YOUR FACE OR YOUR ASS IS OUTTA HERE!" Marty screamed. A deep silence fell over the room that was the first time Marty had lost his temper in long time, given his history of anger management problems. Marty turned his back to Will and took a deep breath. He then faced the group of staff that had formed in front of the news desk.

"Sorry I lost my temper there it's just I have some very important news. I have just received a message from the government. The contents of which informed me that this station along with every other station in the United States will fall under government control in less than five minutes. This is because nuclear warheads have been detected travelling towards the US. The message also assured me this was not a drill. For that reason there will be no show today."

He looked at the faces but nobody said anything.

"Uh… You may leave now." Marty said. Slowly at first then, quickly people went for the doors.


	2. Chapter 2

October 23rd 2077

09:02am

Clam Gulch outside Anchorage.

_Captain Jacob Chance_

The operator had explained as best he could but the bottom line was the US was now engaged in a nuclear exchange with China. The first missiles would hit the continental United States within the hour. The only chance the men had for survival was to make it to the Fallout Shelter at the Anchorage Command and Control Centre before 09:30 when the doors would close. The two snipers had synched their pip boys and planned the shortest route, they had twenty eight minutes to cover just over five miles.

"There's no way. We'd need to be covering like a mile every five minutes." Buck said.

"Every five point six minutes." Jacob corrected. "We're going to make it, Buck, because I am not dying in fucking Alaska. Now ditch everything except your weapon. We are leaving!"

The two men set off through the woods moving as fast as the terrain would allow them. Eventually they saw a highway and ran along the tarmac rather than contend with the woods and snow. Jacob checked his Pip boy and saw they had covered the first mile in under the five minutes necessary.

"We're making good…" Then time seemed to slow. He could see Buck running slightly ahead of him and he could see the trip wire but his words came out too late.

"IED!" Jacob yelled just as Bucks shin pulled the wire.

Then there was only heat and noise.

October 23rd 2077

09:06am

New York City, Good Morning NYC News Room.

_Marty Phelps_

Marty was now sitting by his office terminal quickly scribbling down the digits of his Vault Tec entrance code. He had heard stories of people who got theirs tattooed onto their arm, Marty had thought that foolish but now wished he had done it.

When he finally got the entrance code number down, he ran into the nearly deserted Newsroom. Only Sam remained sitting at one of the desks furiously bashing buttons on a phone.

"Sam, you're still here?" Marty said as he pulled on his sports jacket.

"I'm trying to get in touch with my family but the lines are all dead."

"The military probably took the phones too. Besides even if they worked they'd be over loaded. Like New Years."

Sam slammed down the phone and let out a long sigh for a second Marty thought she may cry.

"I know that but I just can't sit here and die. If I just achieve something…I…"

Marty made a quick decision.

"Do you feel like spending eternity with me underground?"

"What?" She said taken aback by the question.

"I have a vault code for the one in Central Park. I can get you in."

Sam sat in silence for a beat.

"Sam we really don't have all day." Marty coaxed.

"Lets go." She said as she stood and followed him to the door.


	3. Chapter 3

October 23rd 2077

09:10am

New York City, Good Morning NYC News Room.

_Marty Phelps_

"Ok the Vault in Central park is three blocks away, we can make if we haul ass." Marty explained as they ran out of the studio lobby and onto what had once been the corner of Lexington avenue and 81st street. Now it was in total chaos. The air raid sirens were blaring while crashed and abandoned cars littered the street, many buildings where on fire and gunfire could be heard across the city. People were screaming but the street felt oddly empty with only a few people running through the streets. For course New York had taken a large hit in the resource wars and people moved out into the country to get jobs in production. This had nearly halved the city's population since 2050.

"It sure feels like the end of the world." Sam said as they continued running west.

"Everyone is acting accordingly." Marty commented as he heard gunfire and screaming in the distance.

October 23rd 2077

09:12am

Clam Gulch outside Anchorage.

_Captain Jacob Chance_

There were voices around as Jacob regained consciousness but they where speaking French, a language he didn't recognise. Slowly he opened his eyes he could see four men, two where standing over him while the other two where by Buck. All were armed.

"Fuck you Hoser!" Buck yelled at his captors. The lieutenant looked wounded but obviously had regained consciousness faster than Jacob. The wet cut on Jacob's forehead suggested he had face planted the tarmac when the trap went off. They had been lucky the IED wasn't designed to kill but incapacitate its victims. The Canadians liked to use these traps as they where a great psychological weapon. Patrols often turned up the mutilated corpses of those unlucky enough to fall into a trap and be captured by the resistance.

One of the Canadians pointed a pistol at Buck's head then quickly lowered it and shot him in the knee cap. Buck's scream cut through the air.

"Stop! Wait!" The words carried none of the strength Jacob wanted them to.

A Canadian crouched beside Jacob and roughly grabbed his shoulder.

"Capitaine?" He called out to his comrades.

"Lieutenant?" replied one who was looking at Buck's shoulder.

"Capitaine." said one of them who was standing.

"Qui." The man beside Buck got up and shot the wounded sniper once in the forehead.

"You're coming with us, yankee."

Jacob slumped, he needed to get free of these men and back on task if he wanted a hope of surviving the bombardment. Then the realisation settled in that Buck was right, nobody would make it. The Fallout shelter was probably full to bursting already and even if he got in then what? This was full on, balls out nuclear war not tactical strikes. The Anchorage Fallout Shelter was nothing more than a life raft, a place to hold out until help got there. This time help would not be coming anytime soon.

"Better to die on your feet." Jacob whispered as two Canadians grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feet.


	4. Chapter 4

October 23rd 2077

09:20am

New York City, Corner of Park Avenue and 81st Street.

_Marty Phelps_

The streets were surprisingly empty but Marty could see a group racing towards central park. He hoped the crowds wouldn't be too big at the vault and they would be able to get in safely, It would help that the entrance was unmarked. He just had to make it there before the Air Raid sirens stopped for that marked the closing of the door.

They were making good time but Marty didn't know if he could keep up with Sam. She was far younger than him and leading the way. This would be the world of the future one where men like him, Dean Domino and Will O'Neill were not considered to be the top of the heap. The new world would send humanity back to the dark ages where physical fitness and survivability were paramount not the car you drove or the suit you wore.

They passed Park Avenue when Sam suddenly stopped, there was man's body in the middle of the side walk. While that was shocking the little girl crying into the chest of the dead man was more disturbing.

"Come on Sam, we have to go."

Sam turned and was about to say something when Marty heard the crack of a hunting rifle. He quickly threw himself behind a car as did Sam. She reached out and pulled the sobbing child into cover as well.

"Is someone shooting?" Sam called over the wails of the child.

"Yeah, probably some fucking psycho."

"There's no time for this!"

"He's not a good aim and he's using that car for cover. Stay in the wheel arches." Marty called out.

He looked at Sam holding the struggling child while bullets pinged and whizzed overhead. A wave of depression swept over him, all his life he had watched or made TV now he was in a real situation where people where depending on him to make a decision. The stress was getting to be too much.

Then he saw the empty Nuka Cola Bottle.

October 23rd 2077

09:25am

Clam Gulch outside Anchorage.

_Captain Jacob Chance_

The resistance men were leading Jacob into the woods away from the US Army Command and Control Centre. They were obviously hiding out in the woods and hadn't gotten word of the nuclear attack. Jacob decided it was pointless to tell them as they would be unlikely to believe him.

He also decided he wasn't going to face the apocalypse a prisoner, he already had a something of a plan but just needed the right terrain. Once they reached the crest of a small hill he knew he had found it. The four men where walking in a box formation around him but only the back two had their weapons pointed at him. He hoped this would be enough for him to gain the upper hand.

As the small group made their way down the hill Jacob started to closely watch the steps of the guard to his left. When the man's footing was just right Jacob feigned a bout of nausea and staggered to his left. The guard stopped and levelled his weapon but because they where going down hill and Jacob had timed it well the Man was now in striking distance. Jacob grabbed the barrel of the Assault rifle with his left hand and struck the man in the nose with his right. The man discharged his weapon which burned Jacob's hand but he ignored the pain. He hit the man again in the face and he released the weapon. Jacob pulled the gun from the mans hands and then shit him in the chest. He then spun to fire at the man in the right rear of the formation but was a little too slow. He felt a lance of fire go through his left arm as a bullet tore into his flesh.

"Definitely broken." Jacob thought as he depressed the trigger and opened up with full auto into the man. Red splats rattled up the man's chest ending at his chin as the Assault rifle clicked empty.

The two men in front had by this time got a bead on Jacob and started firing. Jacob dropped the assault rifle and flung himself onto the corpse of the man he had just killed. He was fast but not faster than a 5.56mm bullet. Jacob felt more lances of fire hit his back and legs but the adrenaline was pumping now and his right arm was unwounded which was all he needed. He stuck his hand into the holster of the dead man and quickly rolled over.

He levelled the 10mm pistol and shot the closest man in the neck, there was a gush of blood as the man's neck snapped back. The final man had his rifle up and ready. Jacob knew he was dead anyway as he took aim.

Both men hesitated for a brief second and locked eyes. Then they emptied their clips into each other.


	5. Chapter 5

October 23rd 2077

09:26am

New York City, Corner of Park Avenue and 81st Street.

_Marty Phelps_

"What are you doing will this even work?" Sam said when she saw the contraption Marty had made. He had used his pen knife to stab the petrol tank of the car and siphon fuel into the Nuka Cola Bottle. He then ripped a strip of material from his sports coat and stuffed that into the bottle leaving a little tail sticking out of the top.

"Yes it will work. I'm gonna go left and lob this. It'll make a big bang so you go right and do not stop running. Here take this."

Marty took the Entrance code from his pocket and handed it to Sam.

"Marty I can't… It's yours…"

"You'll get better use out of it. The entrance is inside the Museum of Art, get there and follow the signs, show the code to anyone who asks. Get the kid to safety and just… just survive this ok? The Vault is just gonna be full of rich pricks like me and Will anyway. The future will need more people like you."

"I don't know what to say… Thank you." Sam stammered.

"Just make it to the Vault. We go on three."

Marty pulled out his lighter.

"1"

He lit the tail

"2"

He stood and ran left.

"3! GO GO GO!" He yelled as he threw the improvised bomb at the car the gunman was using as cover. It exploded and Marty heard a scream. He glanced to his right and saw Sam had already covered and impressive amount of ground despite carrying the child.

Marty finally got to the car and saw the gunman getting to his feet while the Rifle was a charred mess. The Gunman saw him and let out a scream as he threw himself at Marty sending both men to the ground. The Gunman's left arm was burnt and looked painful, Marty exploited this until he found himself straddling the gunman and slipping his hands around the man's neck.

Marty could feel the old rage and anger build up as he throttled the life out of the man, Marty enjoyed watching his cheeks puff up and face turn red. He was so intend on murder he didn't notice the gunman had produced a knife until he felt it slip between his ribs.

October 23rd 2077

09:31am

Clam Gulch outside Anchorage.

_Captain Jacob Chance_

The Pipboy was bleeping meaning Jacob had missed the dead line and the doors to the fallout shelter were closed. He wished he could turn the alarm off but his body was a wreck, a patchwork of blood red and what looked like hamburger mince. The Canadians had obviously been using hollow points was the only thought Jacob had about his injuries. A warm puddle of sticky blood was spreading around Jacob and it felt like a blanket, he felt sleepy but knew it was his just his grip on life weakening.

He heard a gargle come from somewhere nearby, obviously one of the Canadians wasn't quite dead either.

Jacob looked up at the clear sky and was sure he could hear that same low rumble he heard less than an hour ago. The missiles were on their way.

"I'm sorry." and he was. He was sorry he spent his life taking lives, sorry his country would have a hand in the end of the world, sorry he would never see his family again, sorry he spent his last few minutes of life watching a friend die and killing four men but most of all he was sorry for those that would go after him. He knew he was getting off lightly, it would the children of tomorrow who would bear the true brunt of this war.

"I'm so sorry." he mumbled as a bright flash lit the horizon.

October 23rd 2077

09:34am

New York City, Corner of Park Avenue and 81st Street.

_Marty Phelps_

Marty's guts where hanging out all over Park Avenue but he didn't care, he had seen the light go out of the man's eye and his bloodlust was sated. Marty knew the man had been a victim of Marty's rage, it wasn't about getting Sam and the Kid to safety. He had wanted to kill the man, the fact it was necessary was just a bonus. Now he would be remembered as a hero if Sam made it they would never know the darkness inside him. Then again maybe they would because the rage and the fury that dwelled in him was also in most successful men, the sort of successful men who could afford a room in a Vault. He just hoped aggression wasn't a genetic trait.

The sirens were quiet now, Sam and the kid might have made it or they might be standing in front of the vault banging on the door, both where possible but it wasn't for Marty to know. What he did know was while the future didn't belong to him or Will O'Neill he had been wrong when he said it would belong to people like Sam. The Kings and Queens of tomorrow's New York would be fit and completely amoral.

He finally released his grip on the man and rolled off the one side. His white shirt was now blood red from his wounds. He let out a moan, drew himself into the foetal position and tried to hold his intestines in. At least he'd be there for the big one it would be a hell of a firework show. He could hear a low rumble in the distance as the bombs got close. He closed his eyes and waited for that warm feeling you get when a nuclear war head detonates on top of you.

June 3rd, 2278

11:30am

Clam Gulch outside Anchorage.

A pair of wanderers making their way through the frozen wastes of Alaska happened upon five Skelton's laying in the recently melted snow. Each was clutching an old rusty weapon and one even had an ancient Military issue Pipboy on a skeletal wrist. The Wanderers quickly set about stripping the bodies of anything of value.

"These guys really fucked each other up eh Jorge? Just look at these bones, they're all cracked. You can actually see where the bullets grazed on this guy's rib cage."

"Yeah, I guess the bodies got frozen out here or something. Good news for us we can probably get some caps for this junk."

"Whaddya you think they where fighting about?"

Jorge looked at the five bodies and thought about his response.

"Who gives a fuck? Let's take this shit and get some caps. I wanna buy more ammo."


End file.
